Message thread management using dynamic pointers

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for message thread management using dynamic pointers. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for message thread management using dynamic pointers is provided. The method includes selecting a message thread in a message inbox of a messaging client, comparing characteristics of the message thread to a pre-established set of criteria, and removing the selected message thread to remote storage, generating a message thread pointer to the selected message thread and inserting the message thread pointer into the message inbox in place of the selected message thread in response to the characteristics of the message thread satisfying the criteria.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of inbox management formessaging systems and more particularly to threaded messages views of aninbox.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electronic messaging represents the single most useful task accomplishedover wide-scale computer communications networks. Some argue that in theabsence of electronic messaging, the Internet would have amounted tolittle more than a science experiment. Today, electronic messaging seemsto have replaced the ubiquitous telephone and fax machine for the mostroutine of interpersonal communications. As such, a variety ofelectronic messaging systems have arisen which range from real-timeinstant messaging systems and wireless text pagers to asynchronouselectronic mail systems.

Electronic mail, a form of electronic messaging referred to in the artas e-mail, has proven to be the most widely used computing applicationglobally. Though e-mail has been a commercial staple for severaldecades, due to the explosive popularity and global connectivity of theInternet, e-mail has become the preferred mode of communications,regardless of the geographic separation of communicating parties. Today,more e-mails are processed in a single hour than phone calls. Clearly,e-mail as a mode of communications has been postured to replace allother modes of communications, save for voice telephony.

An inbox generally provides for the receipt, classification, storage,and handling of incoming messages. As messages are received, eachreceived message can be viewed and handled according to the preferencesof the end user. In most cases, a message can be deleted, stored in afolder, forwarded to a different person or persons, or replied to thesender and optionally any other recipients of the message. Where asingle message has been replied to or forwarded repeatedly by and todifferent parties to the message, a message thread is generated whereineach transmitted message is viewed as a member of the thread. To thatend, a message thread can be a messaging analog of a conversation.

Message threads when limited in the number of messages can beextraordinarily helpful in permitting different readers to gain a quickunderstanding of the flow of a virtual conversation. However, over time,the volume of messages in a message thread can become substantial andolder messages in the message thread can become stale. Further, to theextent that later postings to the message thread include “history” ofother messages in the thread, content in the message thread can bestored in duplicate, triplicate and so forth. Specifically, each messagein the message thread represents a single response to a prior message inthe thread. However, each message in the message thread can includeunder certain circumstances that result most often from the directive“Reply with History” the content of other messages in the messagethread.

Thus, significant computing resources can be consumed in storing messagecontent repetitively and unnecessarily, including disk space, processortime in loading the stored content of the message thread into dynamicmemory, and of course the dynamic memory itself. The problem can becompounded when messages in the message thread include attachments ofsome size. The duplication of messages with attachments in a messagethread can result in exponentially greater consumption of computingresources.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art inrespect to threaded messages in a messaging system and provide a noveland non-obvious method, system and computer program product for messagethread management using dynamic pointers. In an embodiment of theinvention, a method for message thread management using dynamic pointersis provided. The method includes selecting a message thread in a messageinbox of a messaging client, comparing characteristics of the messagethread to a pre-established set of criteria, and removing the selectedmessage thread to remote storage, generating a message thread pointer tothe selected message thread and inserting the message thread pointerinto the message inbox in place of the selected message thread inresponse to the characteristics of the message thread satisfying thecriteria.

In another embodiment of the invention, a messaging data processingsystem is provided. The system includes a computer with at least oneprocessor and memory and a messaging client executing in the memory ofthe computer and comprising a message inbox of messages and messagethreads of messages. The system further includes a thread pointermanagement module coupled to the messaging client. The module includesprogram code enabled to select a message thread in the message inbox, tocompare characteristics of the message thread to a pre-established setof criteria, and to remove the selected message thread to remote storagecoupled to messaging client over a computer communications network, togenerate a message thread pointer to the selected message thread and toinsert the message thread pointer into the message inbox in place of theselected message thread in response to the characteristics of themessage thread satisfying the criteria.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspectsof the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elementsand combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It isto be understood that both the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only andare not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred,it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a process for message threadmanagement using dynamic pointers;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a messaging data processing systemconfigured for message thread management using dynamic pointers; and,

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process for message threadmanagement using dynamic pointers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide for message thread management usingdynamic pointers. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, amessage thread of different messages can be monitored in a message inboxsuch as an e-mail inbox. When the message thread meets a thresholdcriteria such as the size of the thread, the message thread can bereplaced in the message inbox with a pointer to a remotely storedduplicate of the message thread. The pointer can include metadataregarding the message thread including an identification of theparticipants to the thread, a digest summary of the messages of themessage thread, and a single copy of each attachment to messages in thethread. Duplicate forms of the same attachment can be discarded. In thisway, the computing resources consumed by the duplication of data andattachments in a message thread can be reduced intelligently accordingto threshold characteristics of the message thread.

In further illustration, FIG. 1 pictorially depicts a process formessage thread management using dynamic pointers. As shown in FIG. 1, amessage inbox 110 of messages can include a message thread 130. Themessage thread 130 can include a series of interrelated messagesbeginning with a root message and continuing with one or more messagesin response either to the root message, or a preceding messageresponsive to either another preceding message or the root message andso forth. Individual ones of the messages in the thread 130 can includeattachments. Conversion criteria, such as the size of the thread 130 thenumber of messages in the thread 130 or the number of users postingmessages to the thread 130 can be compared to the thread 130.

To the extent that the criteria is met or exceed by a threshold value, athread pointer 140 can be generated for the message thread 130 and caninclude metadata regarding the thread such as a digest of the messagesin the message thread 130, a listing of users posting messages to themessage thread 130, and a single copy of the attachments present in themessage thread 130 with any duplicate copies of the attachments omitted.The message thread 130 can be moved to remote storage 150 and anactivatable reference to message thread 130 as stored in remote storage150 can be placed in the thread pointer 140 in the inbox 110. In thisway, the processing resources of the computer hosting the inbox 110 canbe consumed reservedly by removing the consumptive message thread 130 tothe remote storage 150 leaving in the inbox 110 only a thread pointer140 to the message thread 130.

The process described in connection with FIG. 1 can be implemented in amessage data processing system such as that shown in FIG. 2.Specifically, FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a messaging dataprocessing system configured for message thread management using dynamicpointers. The system can include a computer 200 with at least oneprocessor and memory supporting the execution of messaging client 210such as an e-mail client. The messaging client 210 can becommunicatively coupled to messaging server 230 executing in memory ofremote host 220 over computer communications network so as to providemessage transmission and reception capability for the messaging client210.

Messaging client 210 can be configured to manage messages 250B inmessage inbox 250A. The messages 250B in the message inbox 250A caninclude from time to time one or more message threads 280. Thread pointmanagement module 300 coupled to the messaging client 210 and executingin the memory of the computer 200 can include program code that whenexecuted by the computer 200 can compare pointer conversion criteria 290to individual ones of the message threads 280 to determine whether ornot to replace the individual ones of the message threads 280 with acorresponding message pointer 260. If so, the program code of the module300 can remove the message threads 280 referenced by correspondingmessage thread pointers 260 to remote message store 270 from which theremoved message threads 280 can be accessed remotely from the messagingclient 280.

As noted, the determination of whether or not to replace a messagethread 280 with a message thread pointer 260 in the inbox 250A candepend upon whether or not the message thread 280 satisfies the pointerconversion criteria 290. The pointer conversion criteria 290 can includeby way of example:

A. A physical size of the message thread, typically expressed in byteunitsB. A number of users contributing messages to the message threadC. A size of any number of attachments in messages in the messagethread.

The message thread pointer 260 generally includes metadata pertaining tothe message thread 280, such as a number of messages and number of userscontributing the messages to the message thread 280. The metadata alsocan provide a digest of the messages in the message thread, as well as asingle copy of each of the attachments to the messages of the messagethread. Of note, the metadata can be live and periodically updated toreflect changes to a remotely stored message thread such as a change ina number of messages added to the message thread, or a number of userscontributing to the message thread, the digest itself, the selection ofattachments and a size of the message thread.

In yet further illustration of the operation of the thread pointermanagement logic 300, FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process formessage thread management using dynamic pointers. Beginning in block310, an inbox can be selected for processing and in block 320 pointerconversion criteria can be loaded. In block 330, a message thread in theinbox can be selected for processing and in block 340 the criteria canbe applied to the selected message thread. In decision block 350 if thecriteria are met or exceeded by a threshold value, then in block 360 themessage thread can be removed to remote storage and in block 370 amessage thread pointer can be generated for the message thread in theremote storage. Finally, in block 380 the message thread pointer can beplaced into the inbox in place of the message thread.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, radiofrequency, and the like, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code forcarrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may bewritten in any combination of one or more programming languages,including an object oriented programming language and conventionalprocedural programming languages. The program code may execute entirelyon the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention have been described above withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,apparatus (systems) and computer program products according toembodiments of the invention. In this regard, the flowchart and blockdiagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, andoperation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computerprogram products according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. For instance, each block in the flowchart or block diagramsmay represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises oneor more executable instructions for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

It also will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed onthe computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

Finally, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of theinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detailand by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations are possible without departing from thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims as follows:

1. A method for message thread management using dynamic pointers, themethod comprising: selecting a message thread in a message inbox of amessaging client executing in memory by at least one processor of acomputer; comparing characteristics of the message thread to apre-established set of criteria; and, removing the selected messagethread to remote storage, generating a message thread pointer to theselected message thread and inserting the message thread pointer intothe message inbox in place of the selected message thread in response tothe characteristics of the message thread satisfying the criteria. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the message is an e-mail.
 3. The methodof claim 1, further comprising including in the message thread pointer asingle copy of all attachments to the messages of the message threadwhile removing duplicates of identical attachments of the messages fromthe inbox.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria comprises asize of the message thread.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thecriteria comprises a number of messages in the message thread.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the criteria comprises a number of userscontributing messages to the message thread.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the criteria comprises a size of attachments to messages in themessage thread.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message threadpointer comprises metadata describing the message thread, and anactivatable reference to the message thread in the remote storage forretrieving the message thread upon activation.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein the metadata comprises a message digest of the messages of themessage thread, and a listing of contributors of the messages to themessage thread.
 10. A messaging data processing system comprising: acomputer with at least one processor and memory; a messaging clientexecuting in the memory of the computer and comprising a message inboxof messages and message threads of messages; and, a thread pointermanagement module coupled to the messaging client, the module comprisingprogram code enabled to select a message thread in the message inbox, tocompare characteristics of the message thread to a pre-established setof criteria, and to remove the selected message thread to remote storagecoupled to messaging client over a computer communications network, togenerate a message thread pointer to the selected message thread and toinsert the message thread pointer into the message inbox in place of theselected message thread in response to the characteristics of themessage thread satisfying the criteria.
 11. A computer program productfor message thread management using dynamic pointers, the computerprogram product comprising: a computer readable storage medium havingcomputer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readableprogram code comprising: computer readable program code for selecting amessage thread in a message inbox of a messaging client executing inmemory by at least one processor of a computer; computer readableprogram code for comparing characteristics of the message thread to apre-established set of criteria; and, computer readable program code forremoving the selected message thread to remote storage, generating amessage thread pointer to the selected message thread and inserting themessage thread pointer into the message inbox in place of the selectedmessage thread in response to the characteristics of the message threadsatisfying the criteria.
 12. The computer program product of claim 11,wherein the message is an e-mail.
 13. The computer program product ofclaim 11, further comprising computer readable program code forincluding in the message thread pointer a single copy of all attachmentsto the messages of the message thread while removing duplicates ofidentical attachments of the messages from the inbox.
 14. The computerprogram product of claim 11, wherein the criteria comprises a size ofthe message thread.
 15. The computer program product of claim 11,wherein the criteria comprises a number of messages in the messagethread.
 16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein thecriteria comprises a number of users contributing messages to themessage thread.
 17. The computer program product of claim 11, whereinthe criteria comprises a size of attachments to messages in the messagethread.
 18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein themessage thread pointer comprises metadata describing the message thread,and an activatable reference to the message thread in the remote storagefor retrieving the message thread upon activation.
 19. The computerprogram product of claim 18, wherein the metadata comprises a messagedigest of the messages of the message thread, and a listing ofcontributors of the messages to the message thread.